Tuesday, February 28, 2017

by PAUL LAWTON AND CAMERON SUMMERSOriginally published: Publisher: GlobeandMail.com In our hyper-politicized environment, what should a brand do when it’s confronted with the question: Should we take a stand?Our advice is this: Be true to yourself. But to do this, you have to understand how your brand is viewed by those who are invested in it. Today, both consumers and executives believe that corporate reputation is based more and more on a sense of shared purpose. When a brand acts in alignment with that shared purpose, it will be rewarded with a strong corporate reputation. And when consumers feel a company acts out of alignment, it stands to pay a price.It’s hard to keep up with the torrent of reporting on brands that have found themselves embroiled in an issue tied to a politicized statement. Compared to years past, consumer activism across the political spectrum is easier to rouse in this digital age.

by Chad Pawson Originally published: February 27, 2017Publisher: CBC.ca Police forces around B.C. are looking for new members as officers from the baby boom generation continue to retire."All the baby boomers, they're getting old. They're done with working. That gives us young people a chance," said Sinish Sharma who attended a job fair on Saturday hosted by the Justice Institute of B.C.The RCMP says it has plans to hire up to 1,000 new members across the country, while forces in cities like Vancouver and Abbotsford say they are also working to respond to attrition due to retirement.

by Roger Trapp Originally published: February 26, 2017publisher: Forbes.com This has been - as they say - a week of contrasts for women in the workplace. On the one hand, Cressida Dick emerged from a shortlist of four that included another woman to become the first female Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, the biggest force in the U.K.. The appointment was announced by another woman, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, meaning that - since the Prime Minister is also female - a trio of women will for the first time be at the heart of the decision-making on counter-terrorism, cyber crime and related matters. This should not be remarkable. We are, after all, living in the 21st century.But, then, this is politics, where things can be expected to move slowly. And Ms Dick's bosses are representatives of the Conservative Party, which - as its name suggests - tends not to be in the vanguard of social change (even if it has so far produced the country's only two female prime ministers). Only the development looks downright revolutionary when compared with what is happening in the world of technology.

by Kay LazarOriginally published: February 27, 2017Publisher: BostonGlobe.com The jarring message — “White Power” — was scrawled in fire-engine-red marker in one of the busiest spots at Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital, near an elevator that hundreds of patients, visitors, and workers pass every day.Emotions were already raw in the days following the presidential election, and the graffiti, discovered Nov. 18, was a “big slap in the face,” said Dr. Rebecca Hammon, a resident at the Boston teaching hospital, which employs many people of color.While the incident was a first at the hospital, such workplace events nationally grew increasingly common over the course of last year’s presidential campaign.

by TAKESHI SUEZAKIOriginally published: February 27, 2017Publisher: Asahi.com To expand the spirit of inclusivity and diversity, the Tokyo metropolitan government is seeking to install universal-use toilets for all genders in the venues it is constructing for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.Although “Daredemo toire” (Everyone’s toilets) already exist in many places, those multi-purpose toilet compartments are designed to accommodate wheelchairs, and thus require a certain amount of space. As a result, an insufficient number of them can be installed.As a solution, smaller compartments for all genders that can accommodate two people, but not wheelchairs, are under consideration. They are designed for use by any gender, as well as people with disabilities other than those in wheelchairs, and are intended to reduce any lines for Daredemo toire.

by Rebecca Moore Originally published: February 27, 2017Publisher: BusinessZone.co.uk Our increasingly globalised world has rendered the business landscape more competitive, dynamic and demanding. The need to be able to effectively function in all cultural contexts is no longer an advantage - it’s the expectation; cultural intelligence is the critical piece of the puzzle for your business.If your team includes individuals that possess high levels of cultural intelligence, or CQ, then they will be integral when it comes to filling information gaps and being the link in any divides. In this current time of economic and political uncertainty, mainstream media are playing on the social cracks that are already beginning to appear. If you can amass a team of culturally aware employees, there will be a natural environment of education between peers when it comes to the varying cultures, knowledge transfer between groups that are normally contrasting - It won’t take long before interpersonal connections are formed.

by Sneha BanerjeeOriginally published: February 2, 2017Publisher: Entrepreneur.com Women contribute to over 40 percent of its total population today, but this does not prohibit discrimination against them at various levels of the society - from workplace hierarchy to rural education.Speaking at an event organised by NASSCOM on Diversity and Inclusion, Suresh Narayan-MD and Chairman at Nestle India, spoke about things that impeding companies from having a diverse work place culture.Narayan, who has held important posts at several FMCGs, has been an important participant of Nestle India story.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

In an exclusive conversation with Entrepreneur, Nestle India Managing Director and Chairman Suresh Narayan spoke about the necessity of having diversity at workplaces.

Talking about equality at workplace for both men and women Narayan said, “For me this is not an emotive issue, it’s an economic issue. I don’t want the subject of diversity to be treated as a CSR or a charity issue. It’s important for companies to realize that half of mankind can bring a lot of value and growth to organizations and the country.”

by Belinda ParmarOriginally published: February 27, 2017 Publisher: TheGuardian.cm These are the dark times for diversity: in an era of walls, barricades and divisive rhetoric, how can it can ever hope to thrive? But then maybe it was always doomed to failure. Even in happier, more inclusive times the drive for diversity has always had a decidedly chequered history.Progress over recent years has been sluggish at best. Google’s data-driven diversity programme cost $2.65m but failed to significantly change the composition of its workforce. The organisation is as white and male as ever. Over the past two years, the number of women in technical positions has increased by just 1%; the number of African Americans has not increased at all. The announcement by Jeffrey Siminoff, Twitter’s head of diversity, that he will resign at the end of this month , spoke volumes about the perceived failures of the company’s diversity programmes. Google’s diversity chief, Nancy Lee, stepped down last year, indicating that the malaise may be becoming endemic.

Monday, February 27, 2017

by Georgina Lawton Originally published: February 24, 2017Publisher: Bustle.com Being an ethnic minority in a predominantly white work environment produces challenges that can be nearly impossible to navigate at times. But one ad agency has created a "Black At Work" obstacle course in an attempt to highlight the insidious racism, microaggressions, and overt discrimination many black people face at work day in day out. It's a perfect project for Black History Month and will hopefully educate and inspire both employers and employees to act in a way that works toward achieving real, actual equality.According to a 2015 CNN/Kaiser Family Foundation poll on race, 26 percent of blacks and 15 percent of Hispanics believed they had been treated unfairly because of their race or ethnicity at their work within the previous 30 days. Furthermore, the Center for Women Policy Studies found that 21 percent of women of color surveyed did not feel they were free to be “themselves at work" — and more than a third of women of color believed that they must “play down” their race or ethnicity to succeed.

by Cathy AlexOriginally published: February 24, 2017Publisher: CBC.caIf Canadians truly value multiculturalism, they must make room for more diverse voices to be heard, says Dreeni Geer, the director of the office of human rights and equity at Lakehead University, in Thunder Bay, Ontario.Society as a whole must create a protective environment where people feel safe sharing their own opinions, challenges and solutions, she said."The first thing I always say to any people who are the dominant group is the only way that marginalized voices or people ever thrive is if mainstream voices step aside and create that space, and so instead of speaking for others or advocating for others, actually give them the room and allow them to speak for themselves," she said.

Originally published:February 24, 2017Publisher: YahooSports.com The NHL is once again putting the issue of LGBTQ rights in the spotlight.Throughout February, the NHL, the NHL Players' Association and the You Can Play Project have celebrated "Hockey Is For Everyone" month to support diversity, equality and inclusion in the sport. The league and its players have partnered with You Can Play since April 2013 on activities fighting homophobia in sports, along with removing stereotypes related to gender, ethnicity and disabilities.The You Can Play campaign was born five years ago, after a 2010 car accident took the life of 21-year-old Brendan Burke, the youngest son of current Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke.

by Dr Diahanne Rhiney Originally published: February 23, 2017Publisher: Huffingtonpost.com Diversity. Having worked in the equality and diversity field over several decades, I’ll be the first to admit that I sometimes fear diversity has become more of a buzzword than a real force for inclusiveness.Diversity is the buzzword in everything from workshops to expos and conferences and everything in-between, but what about in the workplace? It’s all too easy to get execs to give talks and bold statements or host glitzy awards about the importance of diversity and yet it’s still so difficult to find actual examples of growth and success.“When its potential is tapped, diversity is a powerful tool. But we won’t manage this with facile training sessions and snooze-fest seminars.” Belinda Parmar

by William Vanderbloemen Originally published: February 22, 2017Publisher: Forbes.com I’ve said it dozens of times: millennials are some of the sharpest, hardest-working employees out there, and I’m proud that they comprise over half of my team at Vanderbloemen. They are our workforce’s next leaders – and many of them are already successful young leaders.But not all millennials have leadership gifts. Or, I’ve found, some of them do possess strong leadership traits but are unaware of it.I’m a big fan of hiring for potential, so how can employers spot leadership potential in younger candidates?

by Pavita CooperOriginally published: February 24, 2017Publisher: Managers.org.uk When it comes to workplace diversity, we’ve made significant progress over the past 10 years. Managers have heard and understood the business case. That argument has been won.Now it’s about making sure our workplaces reflect the society in which we operate in terms of issues such as race, disability, social mobility and sexual orientation. Arguably, we have made the most progress with gender diversity.Women make up a large proportion of the workforce, so it was an obvious place to start. And many believe this focus has a halo effect, encouraging a more inclusive attitude to hiring generally. But there are still obstacles to tackle, particularly in terms of career progression.

The station said Kamal Nasser was the only deaf worker at an ATT warehouse in Columbus, OH. His co-workers used to use whiteboards and hand motions to communicate with him.

One day Nasser responded to coworker, Jason McGonigle, with sign language stating that the whiteboard method was slow, says WSYX. McGonigle got the idea of having employees learn sign language and presented it to the manager. The two started an ASL class for employees.

by LUCY ROUE-MENOriginally published: Publisher: ManchesterEveningNews.co.uk According to Manchester Digital’s latest skills audit the gender gap in the north’s technology sector is continuing to widen. Lucy Roue speaks to three women about the barriers to diversity and how they are trying to work against them.The gender gap in the North’s digital technology sector is continuing to widen, with workforces split 72:28 male to female, compared with a 60:40 split last year, according to the results of Manchester Digital’s annual digital skills audit.The disparity is even more prevalent when it comes to technical roles, where the male to female split sits at 88:12, up from 70:30 last year.In addition, over half of businesses surveyed said their tech teams are all male.Manchester Digital responded to the report by saying: “Diversity, both gender and ethnicity is a huge problem in our industry.

by Peter Goffin Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: TheStar.com Racism will shatter a person’s self-esteem, rob them of their sense of security, sink their feelings of belonging. But, according to some health authorities, racial discrimination can have a broad, damaging effect on physical health as well.A Toronto doctor is urging public health officials to add racism to the list of social conditions that help or hinder health quality, alongside such factors as income, employment and education.Dr. Onye Nnorom, of the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health says that, in particular, Canadians who identify as black suffer worse socioeconomic outcomes than non-minorities and, as a result, have worse health outcomes.

Friday, February 24, 2017

by Lauren Fuiman Cell Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: JDSupra.com On July 9, 2012, David Moore filed a Charge with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) (Charge No. 530-2012-02470) alleging that the City of Philadelphia failed to reassign him to a new job as a reasonable accommodation when a heart condition left him unable to perform his current job. Instead, the City of Philadelphia terminated his employment.By way of background, Mr. Moore was a sanitation worker for the Streets Department of the City of Philadelphia. In April of 2011, Mr. Moore suffered a heart attack which left him with permanent, severe cardiac conditions. Mr. Moore’s doctor imposed a 20-pound lifting restriction, leaving Mr. Moore unable to fulfill the duties of his position. As a result of the lifting restriction, Mr. Moore had requested several times to be reassigned to one of the Streets Department’s open positions or to be put on light duty. At one point, Mr. Moore informed the Streets Department that he was “willing to accept whatever work assignment that is available.”The Streets Department, however, kept extending Mr. Moore’s medical leave and told him to inform the Streets Department when he could return to work in his previous position (full duty, without restrictions). During the time Mr. Moore was out on leave, there were numerous open positions, according to the Complaint. On March 15, 2012, Mr. Moore’s doctor informed the City of Philadelphia that the 20-pound lifting restriction would be permanent. Two months later, the City of Philadelphia terminated Mr. Moore’s employment stating, “[u]nfortunately, we are unable to provide an accommodation for your restrictions.”

by Muriel DraaismaOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: CBC.ca Black History Month is a good time to talk to children about racism in Canada, says a Toronto writer and mother.Samantha Kemp-Jackson, who writes about parenting, told CBC's Metro Morning on Family Day that it's important to celebrate the achievements of black Canadians in February, but also to have what may be difficult conversations with your children about discrimination and violence that arises from intolerance."Well, I think that, unfortunately, our kids are hearing things even if we don't bring it to them. They hear it around them, either on the news, on TV, or on the playground. I think that we need to use those opportunities as teachable moments," she said.

by Rebecca SmithOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: CityAM.com The UK has considerably improved its performance in providing opportunities for women in the workplace, but it will still take until 2041 to close the gender pay gap in the UK.That's according to PwC's Women in Work index, which measures levels of female economic empowerment across 33 OECD countries based on five indicators. It said the UK had rapidly improved since 2000.It now ranks 13th out of 33 OECD countries, second to Canada in the G7 thanks to increasing female employment rates, a narrowing of the gender pay gap and a reduction of the gap between male and female labour force participation rates.

by AMELIA J. HOLSTROM, Esq.Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: BusinessWest.com In response to an increase in claims of workplace harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency responsible for enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws including Title VII, issued a 75-page Proposed Enforcement Guidance on Harassment on Jan. 10.The majority of the guidance deals with matters previously addressed by the EEOC, including the elements of harassment; the list of protected characteristics under federal law, including the EEOC’s interpretation that ‘sex discrimination’ includes one’s sexual orientation and gender identity; and the defenses available to an employer facing a harassment suit.Although it has a long-standing practice of issuing harassment-enforcement guidance, the EEOC appears to take things a step further in this proposed guidance and makes suggestions for employers, including policy and training suggestions, among others. Before providing specific suggestions in the guidance, the EEOC begins by articulating that senior leaders are the “cornerstone of a successful harassment-prevention strategy,” and that they have to express frequently and with clarity that harassment will not be tolerated.

by Andy TowleOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: TowleRoad.com The Justice and Education Departments plan to rescind Obama’s directive to public schools that bars discrimination against transgender students and allows them to use bathrooms based on their gender identity, according to a report in the Washington Blade:Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, told the Washington Blade on Monday she’s heard from “reliable sources” President Trump has green-lighted the plan for the Justice Department and Education Department to send a “Dear Colleague” letter to schools rescinding the guidance.“This is the first day of the president’s second month in office and he is now fully coming after LGBT people,” Keisling said. “I’m angry; I’m outraged. This is about kids who just want to go to school who just want to be themselves, and to hear the president a week or two ago talk about how supportive he is of LGBT people, it’s just outrageous that he go after trans kids this way.”

What she does: Camille is an architect with Toronto firm KPMB. She's an advocate of equality in her field through the organization BEAT, which offers mentoring and networking to women in architecture and she is tapping into diverse communities through youth mentoring.

What inspired you to pursue architecture?

Camille Mitchell: Growing up, I always had an interest in art and math. Architecture seemed like a healthy balance, but also my father was a draftsman. So, through his influence it was a good segue into a career.

Rudeness in the workplace happens a lot and can have serious effects — including health-related — on the victims, a new report says.

"It's very frequent. It happens all of the time in the workplace," Sandy Hershcovis told The Homestretch on Thursday.

Hershcovis is the lead researcher on Targeted workplace incivility: The roles of belongingness, embarrassment, and power, a joint study from the University of Calgary's Haskayne School of Business and London School of Economics and Political Science.

"People have reported rates of up to 99 per cent of people having experienced workplace incivility or also witnessing it. It's a very common experience and we wanted to understand how it affected people."

by Amity ShlaesOriginally published: February 24, 2017 Publisher: Forbes.com "A GOLDEN recommendation" for their second job is what most college grads dream of as they enter the workforce. Their first job, they are certain, will be an 18-month compromise, a pass-through position they take on to build résumés. The second job, the one that matches their plans, is the job they actually seek. But to get to that second post, they need a strong recommendation from an authority in the real world, not a professor. In other words, that golden recommendation from the boss at the initial compromise position.That elusive golden recommendation became more reachable when, this winter, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit pushed a review of a new Labor Department overtime rule forward on the calendar. The regulation is known as the "Devil Wears Prada" rule, after the 2006 film in which a witchy editor-in-chief at a top fashion magazine terrorizes her new hire, a Northwestern alumna, day and night, wrecking dinners with dad, the celebration of the boyfriend's birthday and, in general, postcollege sanity.Rising to the defense of the figurative Miss Northwestern, the Labor Department of the Obama Administration sought to raise the ceiling below which time-and-a-half overtime pay is required by Washington. The new level was set at $47,476, from the old $23,660, an expansion affecting millions. Many of those millions are not recent college grads, but many are. The scheduling shift gives the final say to the Trump Labor Department, which has the authority--and likely the inclination--to let this Devil die.

by Jules Schroeder Originally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: Forbes.com When I was 19 I had my first and only 9-5 job. Despite being in college I convinced this sales recruiter to hire me on during the summer on a 60k a year starting salary, earning myself as their youngest employee.Each morning I would get up in my business dress and drive an hour in traffic each way, only to sit at my desk for eight hours amongst people that were at least ten years older than me. Needless to say I quit after two weeks and didn’t even see my first paycheck. You couldn’t have paid me enough to stay.At the time I didn’t know I was making the #1 mistake that most Millennials today are making when entering the workforce.

Thursday, February 23, 2017

by KLINT FINLEYOriginally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: Wired.com THE TECH INDUSTRY isn’t big on dress codes, employee handbooks, or rules. The Silicon Valley management philosophy is simple: Hire talented coders, give them tools to do their jobs, and get out of their way. The best coders should be rewarded, and those who just can’t hack it should be let go.The problem is that, all too often, workplace problems boil down to more than just code. Yesterday widely respected programmer Susan J. Fowler revealed in a blog post that she quit her job at the transportation company Uber last year after facing sexual harassment, discrimination, and, perhaps most worryingly, a corporate culture that let all that harassment and discrimination slide.One of the most striking things about the allegations is how unsurprising they are. Uber has always had a cavalier attitude about rules and regulations, so it’s easy to imagine that attitude extending to sexual harassment and employment laws in general. But the issue goes far beyond Uber. Stories like Fowler’s are common in the tech industry, which has never quite gotten a handle on how to hold employees accountable for anything other than “performance.”

by Frances RyanOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: TheGuardian.com I’m constantly anxious that my ‘luck’ will run out. Either in being able to work at all, or that my workplace will run out of patience and I’ll be out of a job,” says Rebecca Allen, a data analyst in London.Allen, 30, has hypermobility syndrome – a connective tissue disease causing lax joints and muscle fibres – as well as fibromyalgia, and gut and lung problems.

Every day at work, she’s fatigued and in pain – even a tough commute can mean she’s unable to make it through the working day. But because her disability is hidden – that is, a disability that isn’t immediately apparent – she doesn’t necessarily appear disabled to her employers and colleagues. It means she’s had colleagues in previous workplaces make pointed glances at the clock when she’s had to come in later because of her health, as well as derogatory comments about her commitment to the job.

by Melissa Thompson Originally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: Forbes.com It’s no secret that as a society we’re more conscious about our health than ever before. While technology may not always be our ally in allowing us time to get to the gym -- interminable conference calls, Skype chats and emails -- we do have greater access to information. Millennials are more aware than their parents were about the dangers of smoking and drinking. We know the types of food we should avoid and that CARBS is a four-letter word. We also know that working in an uninspiring or toxic environment can be detrimental to our health.Harmful workplace factors include: having unsupportive colleagues, an excessively demanding boss, or suffering constant ill-treatment increases risk of heart disease, depression and high blood pressure. These undesirable conditions are not exactly the perks you look for during a job hunt.

Attracting and retaining young talented employees is critical to Nova Scotia’s economic future. It’s also what Venor does on a daily basis, working with hundreds of young professionals and employers — mostly entrepreneurial small-to-medium sized businesses. Through these dialogues, Venor learns of both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.Some of the themes that emerge include:-‘I’d love to hire students/recent graduates, but don’t know who to contact and don’t have time to attend career fairs or other events.’-‘We don’t have the money and/or time to hire and train a young professional.’- ‘We don’t have a team to effectively on board and train a young professional; it would take too long to get them up to speed.’

by Bruce Tulgan Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: ModernRestaurantManagement.com Throughout most of history, in most societies, every new generation has come along with new attitudes and expectations that differ – at least in part – from those of previous generations. That’s why every new generation prompts a “generation gap” of sorts.Today’s generation gap, in contrast, is about much more than a clash of styles and preferences; much more than the creative energy of youth challenging the cautious wisdom of experience; more than the new butting up against the old. The “Generational Shift” unfolding today is of historic significance, defined by the confluence of macro forces driving change at an extraordinary magnitude and pace. The Second Wave Millennials coming of age today have been shaped by those same forces of change. As such, the current generation gap is not only an important diversity issue, but also coincides with a qualitative transformation in the norms of life and work and society – at every level. Everything is changing so much and so fast that the youngest, least experienced people bring to the table a unique wisdom that comes from being in sync – much more so than older, more experienced people – with the immediate and intermediate future, like so many “canaries in the coal mine.” That’s why generational differences evident in today’s youth can serve as a powerful lens through which to understand the trajectory of today’s changing world.

by Claire Cain MillerOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: FinancialPost.com The main reason for the gender gaps at work — why women are paid less, why they’re less likely to reach the top levels of companies, and why they’re more likely to stop working after having children — is employers’ expectation that people spend long hours at their desks, research has shown.It’s especially difficult for women because they have disproportionate responsibility for caregiving.Flexibility regarding the time and place that work gets done would go a long way toward closing the gaps, economists say. Yet when people ask for it, especially parents, they can be penalized in pay and promotions. Social scientists call it the flexibility stigma, and it’s the reason that even when companies offer such policies, they’re not widely used.A new job search company, Werk, is trying to address the problem by negotiating for flexibility with employers before posting jobs, so employees don’t have to.

by GRACE NASRI Originally published: February 17, 2017Publisher: FastCompany.com It's easy to assume that the most successful people are expert planners who knew exactly where they wanted to be at each point in their career.That's rarely the case. Much more often, those folks were simply open to new opportunities from the very beginning—they took chances and learned to embrace what made them unique. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't have done a few things differently. I spoke with six executives at major companies like PayPal, GM, SoulCycle, and Salesforce to learn what advice they wish they'd gotten when they were younger.DON'T OVERPLAN—BECAUSE YOU CAN'T"In today’s heavily prescribed, overly programmed world, it’s easy to believe—even at age 22—that you need to plan every detail of your future career," says General Motors CEO Mary Barra. But that’s not the case.

by LISA RABASCA ROEPE Originally published: February 17, 2017Publisher: FastCompany.com As more people with autism and ADHD begin to advocate for themselves at work, some employers are changing their workplaces.When Sam Briefer, 23, was hired by Ernst & Young last year, he had two concerns: that he wouldn’t make friends with his coworkers, and that his office environment would distract him from his work.These sound like the concerns of any new hire, but for Briefer, they went beyond typical new-hire jitters because he has autism. He was hired after graduating from college as part of the company’s pilot program to recruit employees who have been diagnosed with autism. The company plans to expand this program, says Lori Golden, diverse abilities strategy leader at Ernst & Young.Briefer says all of his concerns were unfounded, in part because of the support Ernst & Young provides. He says he is friendly with his coworkers and has socialized with them a few times after work. He’s allowed to listen to music using headphones because it helps him to concentrate on his tasks and, when an assignment to schedule multiple Skype meetings for his team became a bit overwhelming for him, Briefer’s manager and job coach helped him to find the solution of delegating and asking coworkers for help.

by Michael TuttonOriginally published: February 21, 2017 Publisher: CTVnews.caJelele Etefa and her husband Bona Dhina sang the Canadian anthem, waved plastic flags and repeated a citizenship oath at a Halifax waterfront museum Monday.It was the end of a long trek for the Ethiopian refugees, who were aware of the moment's particular poignancy.Dhina said he'd heard of the desperate mid-winter border crossings by Africans seeking refugee status in southern Manitoba, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes to bring in an immigration ban targeting seven majority Muslim countries.The 39-year-old father said it saddens him to see the increasing challenges for refugees, and the opposition growing in some nations.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

by Godwin Ifedi Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: OttawaCitizen.com Canadians groaned, along with the rest of the world, as Donald Trump confounded expert analysts and conventional wisdom to snatch the U.S. presidency from Hillary Clinton. Coming on the heels of the historical election of Barack Obama, the first African-American president, this was a significant, if bewildering turnaround from the American electorate.This February, as we celebrate Black History Month, it is necessary to place Canada’s own record of inclusiveness in perspective. When the Parliament of Canada proclaimed February as Black History Month in 1995, it was a pivotal moment for Canadians of African ancestry to celebrate the validation of their contribution to Canada’s diverse mosaic.Black History Month has evolved, not only as a celebration, but a re-affirmation by all Black persons of their Canadian-ness, equal to and entitled to all the rights, privileges, responsibilities and obligations of being a member of this unique nation. We acknowledge that we are part of a great nation, distinctly different, but bound together by diverse languages, cultures, traditions and religions.

by Bernie MonegainOriginally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: HealthcareITnews.com HIMSS executive Carla Smith believes that shattering the glass ceiling requires participation from both women and men.And, at this morning’s session “Shattering the glass ceiling: Lessons learned for aspiring female executives,” Smith got the ball rolling by including both a man and woman who founded and run their own healthcare IT businesses – and who know a technique or two about building diversity and opportunity in the workplace.Denise Hines is founder and CEO of eHealth Services Group in Atlanta in 2011. She is also executive director of Georgia Health Information Network.Hines told the audience she started her company out of necessity. She needed the flexibility to raise her young family.

by Salvador Rodriguez Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: Inc.com Over the last few years, as almost every major tech company in Silicon Valley has relented to public pressure to reveal the demographic makeup of its workforce, Uber has been a notable holdout.In the rare cases of companies that have avoided publishing their diversity numbers, it generally means one thing: the numbers are bad. That's been the suspicion with Uber, but now, we have supporting evidence thanks to former Uber engineer turned whistleblower Susan Fowler.Fowler, who worked at Uber from November 2015 until December 2016, has published a detailed recollection of the many times she encountered sexual harassment, sexism and discrimination while working for the company. The report is full of harrowing anecdotes that describe a workplace where women are preyed upon for sex, are not treated equally and are told by human resource officials to be quiet when reporting issues. According to Fowler -- who is now working at Stripe, another tech company in San Francisco -- she was solicited by one of her male managers, and then, after a transfer to another team, found her career progress stunted by another male manager for his own professional gains.

by Derek HawkinsOriginally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: WashingtonPost.com Citing his First Amendment rights and religious protections under the Civil Rights Act, a Social Security Administration judge in Texas who refused to watch an LGBT diversity training video is suing his superiors to avoid being fired, saying he was subject to a “religiously hostile work environment.”Judge Gary Suttles said in a complaint filed Thursday in federal court in Texas that the Social Security Administration, or SSA, should be barred from taking any disciplinary action against him at least until his religious discrimination claims are heard by a federal employment panel.“The agency has wholly failed to work in good faith to reasonably accommodate Judge Suttles’ sincerely held religious belief against watching” the video, the complaint says.

by Georgia Murray Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: Refinery29.com Alessandro Michele’s appointment as creative director at Gucci in 2015 has seen the brand transformed from respected design giant to one of the most exciting and innovative international houses of the moment. Initially, Michele was criticised for his casting choices – catwalk shows and campaigns were made up almost exclusively of Caucasian models.However, back in January, ‘audition videos’ posted on the Italian brand’s official Instagram account indicated that it would be featuring solely models of colour in its upcoming Pre-Fall 2017 campaign – a sure sign of progress both for the brand and for the wider industry.

by Bethany Lampland Originally published: February 21, 2017Publisher: Entrepreneur.com How does a company recruit top talent with the tenacity to get the job done and the diversity to bring new and valued perspectives to their work? These days, this is a ubiquitous question being asked by hiring managers at startups and Fortune 500 companies alike. The answer is not straight forward, but as one of New York’s largest social services nonprofits with nearly 2,000 employees and constant hiring needs, at The New York Foundling, we know that merely posting on job boards and culling for pedigreed resumes isn’t working.A year ago, The Foundling began offering New York City’s first digital divide programming targeted at the foster youth population, with an aim towards launching a new group of talented and diverse millennials into the workforce. Nationwide, there are more than 400,000 children in foster care. Less than half of these youth will be employed within four years of emancipation, and just three percent will graduate from college.

by Vadim LibermanOriginally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: TLNT.com I recently read an article in which AT&T Chief Diversity Officer Cynthia Marshall said, “It makes good business sense to have an employee base that looks like our customer base.”I suspect most of her peers agree. Her statement is exactly what you’d expect a diversity and inclusion leader to say. It’s about as controversial as what I ate for breakfast. Probably because it intuitively makes sense.It made sense to Pepsi. Years ago, the company realized that women and minorities drink soda, so it launched a major campaign requiring that half of all new hires be women and minorities. Business improved.

by David BurkusOriginally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: HBR.orgOffering flexible workplace schedules seems like a no-brainer. Work has become more flexible — tied less to specific times and places — and gender roles have changed. Letting employees shift their hours to accommodate hectic life schedules makes sense. Surveys show that flex time ranks high on the list of benefits employees want and that women value it even more than men do.But two recent studies suggest flex-time programs may be costly to the people who enroll in them, especially women.The penalty begins before any scheduling adjustments are made. In a recent study by Furman University’s Christin Munsch, the reactions that men and women receive when requesting flexible work requests are quite different — and quite favorable to men. Munsch studied over 600 working-age individuals, all from the United States. Participants were shown a transcript of what they believed was a real conversation between an employee and a human resource representative. Unknown to the participants, Munsch had modified the transcript in a few ways. In some versions, the employee asked for a flexible schedule, working three days a week in the office and two from home while also coming in late or leaving early on office days. In others, no flexible work request was made. More important, Munsch modified the transcript to change the gender of the employee and the reason for the request (some versions were a request because of child care, others were specifically nonfamily reasons). All participants, regardless of transcript shown, were asked to evaluate the employee based on likability, dependability, and dedication to the job, as well as how likely they would be to accommodate the employee’s request.

by Eric B. MeyerOriginally published: February 17, 2017Publisher: TLNT.com When I conduct anti-harassment training for supervisors, one of the points I stress is that all complaints of harassment and discrimination — no matter how minor — must be taken seriously.Why?For a few reasons.By addressing harassment right away, it reduces the chances of repeat performances. That’s good for the employee. That’s also good for the employer, because a successful hostile work environment claim requires behavior that is either severe or pervasive. To boot, an employer picks up an affirmative defense when it exercises reasonable care to end harassment at work.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

by Anjuli PatilOriginally published: February 20, 2017Publisher: CBC.caWhen Rick Smith remembers his 30 years with the Halifax Police Department (as it was known prior to amalgamation in 1996), he can't help but think of all the racism he encountered. He joined the force in 1968 when he was 18 and was only one of two black officers at the time."When I first joined and there was a big poster on my locker: 'We don't want n--gers here on the police department,' Smith said.Smith was one of four retired black police officers who shared their stories Sunday afternoon at the Halifax Central Library as an African Heritage Month event. 'Pretty lonesome'The panel was organized by RCMP Sgt. Craig Smith, who is a cousin of Rick Smith.

The "Diversity Now" app was developed by

www.egloballearning.com

Diversity Now, the app

Want to keep up with the latest developments in the field of diversity? "Diversity Now", the most recent tablet / smartphone app by Global Learning, presents the latest news and ideas from thought leaders in the rapidly-changing area of diversity and inclusion. Global Learning has created a singular place to find a large variety of high quality content dedicated to diversity and HR. With sharing capabilities built directly into the app, "Diversity Now"is the perfect tool for social media professionals and practitioners constantly on the hunt for "just-in-time" diversity content.

Contact Global Learning today to inquire about becoming a sponsor or endorser of "Diversity Now" and how we can feature your organizations diversity initiatives instantly on the app. The world should know all about the great things you are doing when it comes to diversity, invite Global Learning to help you make that happen!